Manners Manners
by syntax glory
Summary: AU, Mimato. Yamato’s in his senior year of high school. What the heck is he doing in a home economics class filled with junior girls?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Digimon is Toei's.

Author's Notes: I know I made home ec sound like some really stupid girly-girl class. Sorry if I offended any of you over this, but I made the class this way to fit in with the story. The characters are probably OOC but I'll try not to make them overly OOC as the story goes along. Alternate universe, the characters never went to the Digiworld and Mimi never met Yamato. The school system is based somewhat on the US's, and if you have issues, there's a nice X on the top right. Later on, there'll be more flashback chapters to explain how the story came to the point it's at.

I'd also like to take the time to address some people's reviews. I removed the story afterward to rewrite parts of it and this long explanatory note of sorts, so that should these people who seem to so despise such "light stories" want to return to rip it apart again, they'll have less material to work with. Regarding one anonymous reviewer's sarcasm, you probably won't see this, but when I ask for constructive criticism, I don't need your sarcasm. Forgive me if I'm not as well-versed in real life situations as you seem to be. "Yamato likes to cook. He does it all the time. Especially for his father." My, and judging from the way you tore apart this fic, I'm surprised you missed the part where Yamato says that he knows how to cook.

See, I try not to be so easily affected by some of the more "constructive" reviews, but one can only take so much. So what if the events don't follow the exact original storyline? This is fanfiction for a reason, and it need not encompass a large chunk of the original plot. If you don't like the pairing, then just don't read it would you? Don't waste my time or yours, because if you profess to be a Mimato or non-canon-fic hater, what are you doing here wasting your time? Thought so. If I sounded catty or petty, tough.

Summary: Yamato's in his senior year of high school. What is he doing in the junior class filled mainly with girls, home economics?

* * *

**MANNERS MANNERS  
—Chapter One—**  
_by__ Ascendo Tuum_

Reclining in the hard molded plastic chair with his feet stretched out, Yamato Ishida was bored. It was a sweltering hot day, probably around ninety degrees Fahrenheit, and here he was stuck in Odaiba High School for a brief orientation. Never mind the fact that he was a senior, the administration seemed to think that even incoming seniors needed to come to school a week early for a reintroduction into the blissful world of academics. Not that the ten minute orientation had enlightened him any.

"Man when's he going to give us our schedules?" Taichi Yagami grumbled angrily, looking at his sports watch. "We've been here for fifteen minutes, sitting on our asses in this room. It smells worse than the gym!"

Yamato shrugged. "You know Hiro-sensei takes forever."

"Bet he got lost."

"Whatever you say, Tai, whatever you say." Yamato said, bored out of his mind. He hadn't brought a single thing with him, having only a wallet, his keys and a pack of chewing gum in his pocket.

Mr. Hiro, a sixty-year-old physics teacher finally strode in, carrying several manila envelopes. "Hello everyone," he greeted as he set down the envelopes and made himself comfortable in the wooden teacher's chair. "Did the air conditioner break? It's rather hot in here," he said, eying the ancient machine.

"No shit," Yamato muttered under his breath.

The teacher glared at him before continuing. "I'll be distributing your new fall schedules. Did you enjoy the speech about senior responsibilities?" Silence answered him. "Anyway, let's get started. Mina Abe?"

A petite brown-haired girl walked up and critically eyed the sheet listing all her classes. She grinned as she sat down.

Mr. Hiro droned on repeatedly, doling out papers as he called out names. "…Sora Takenouchi… Taichi Yagami… Hmm Yamato, looks like you are the only one without a program," he commented.

Yamato stared at him. "Huh? How do I not have a program?"

The teacher rechecked the now empty folders and his briefcase. "Hold on, I'll call the office and ask. It may not have been printed out yet, or it might even be in another homeroom's folder," Mr. Hiro responded as he went over to the telephone.

"Damn," Yamato said. "How dumb are those secretaries?"

"Great! Sora and I have three classes together," Taichi said happily. "That means I can relax even more!"

The reddish-haired teenager rolled her eyes. "Tai, you know I'm not going to let you get away with being lazy. Just because I'm your girlfriend doesn't mean you get my homework. Do it yourself."

"Aw come on Sora, it's senior year!"

"And it's your last chance to do homework," she retorted with a grin. "When we go to college, you'll be like 'Aw Sora-chan I wish I did my homework senior year. I miss doing homework!'"

"Hey universities give homework too!" Taichi protested but knew she wasn't going to budge. That was one of the qualities he loved about her, she stuck to her beliefs and had an iron will. Even her own boyfriend couldn't make her change her mind unless it was something extremely significant. They shared a quick kiss.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Mr. Hiro hung up the telephone, and opened the door. A slim girl strolled in, piece of paper in hand.

"Is Yamato Ishida in this class?" She asked pleasantly. "His schedule was stuck to mine."

Mr. Hiro nodded, pointing out the student. "Ishida-san! Come get your program and thank—may I know your name?"

"Mimi," she replied, "Mimi Tachikawa."

"Yes. Well Yamato, get a move on and thank Tachikawa-san. She was kind enough to deliver your program to you."

The blonde haired teenager rolled his eyes. He yanked the paper from Mimi, almost giving her a papercut and folded it in half as he went back to his seat.

Miffed, Mimi stuck her tongue out at his retreating back and stormed off. What nerve, when she had done him a favor!

"Now Ishida-san, that wasn't a very nice thing to do," Mr. Hiro admonished. "She did you a favor and you couldn't even show her some gratitude." Shaking his balding head, he glanced at the clock on the wall. "We still have five minutes before I'm to dismiss you. Remain in your seats and talk quietly."

Now sitting, Yamato opened the paper and eyed his schedule. He almost fell to the ground in shock when he noticed his last class. "What the hell!"

Taichi sniggered. "What's wrong? Fail a class? Need to take remedial lunch?"

"Shut up Tai." Yamato snapped, shaking his head in disbelief. "How am I in _home economics_!"

"You're in _what_?" Sora asked.

"Home economics." he deadpanned. "What did I do to be in home economics… I never signed up for such a dumb class!"

"Oh hahah, you're stuck in a ninth period class," Taichi laughed. "Sora and I have the last two periods free!"

"Damn it! I was suppose to get ninth period off along with my lunch and third period free! What the hell am I gonna do in a freaking class like home ec! I don't wanna learn how to wear frilly dresses or put on make-up!"

Sora rolled her eyes. "Yamato, you are such a… ugh. Home economics is a really easy class."

"It's a _junior_ class. It's for _junior _girls who want to know how to bake like cherry pies and carry around parasols in the sun!"

"Aw is the high and mighty senior getting all worked up?" Taichi asked gleefully.

Sora punched Yamato in the shoulder playfully. "You are so sexist. You know, now I'm glad you're going to have Sato-sensei as your teacher. Your ass is going to be grass in her class!"

Yamato swore under his breath as the name dawned upon him. "Isn't she that crazy old lady who wears those flowery dresses and has that creepy smile?"

"No, she happens to be one of the nicest people in the world. You'd be surprised what some courtesy could do for you in her class. I got a 100 in her class last year."

"Well I don't know flower arranging like you," Yamato shot back.

"Hey hey, take it easy Yamato! No need to shout at my girlfriend," Taichi said, a hint of warning in his voice.

He groaned. "How could I be in home economics? How? I took the woodshop class last year for my requirement."

"Oh stop fretting. Home economics will be one of your easiest classes if you're nice and do the work."

"What work?"

"Oh you know… you're going to learn about family values. You'll also bake and do some gardening. It's a really helpful class," Sora said. "And the end of year project is the most fun! But I won't tell you anything so as to ruin it," she added hastily, smiling.

"I know how to cook perfectly fine!" Yamato smacked his fist on the desk angrily. "Argh, why couldn't Tai be in home economics and I have the free?"

"Hey I believe in karma."

"Well I didn't do anything to deserve being placed into a worthless class—"

"Class, you are dismissed. Have a good break and see some of you in a week in the honors advanced physics class," Mr. Hiro announced as he placed some envelopes into his briefcase.

Tai grinned cheekily. "This is hilarious, man oh man. Now I sort of want to be in the same class as you just to see you suffer!" He was answered by a scowl.

_elsewhere..._

"Hey Mimi, let's see if we have any classes together," Hoshiko Yamada said, leaning over her desk as she handed her schedule to her best friend.

Mimi nodded, comparing the two girls' programs. "Aw, we only have home economics together, last period with Sato-sensei. But we have the same teachers for math and physics, Sugiyama-sensei and Hiro-sensei."

Hoshiko frowned. "We don't even have lunch together?"

"Nope, you've got sixth period lunch and I've got fifth."

"That totally sucks," the blonde-haired girl lamented. "What's gonna happen to our friendship without our daily exchange of notes and whispering?"

Mimi giggled. "Oh come on, Hoshiko. You act as if we're never going to see each other again. At least we still have a class together!"

"Eh I guess… hey where'd you go before?"

"Oh this guy's program was stuck to mine so I told the teacher I was gonna go give it to him." She shook her head. "He was so ungrateful, he didn't even say thank you to me. Just ripped the paper out of my hand like it was my fault he didn't get it in the first place. What a complete jerk!"

"Oooh who was this jerk?"

"Some guy named Yamato Ishida or something like that."

Hoshiko's green eyes nearly bugged out in disbelief. "Are you serious? Yamato Ishida's schedule was stuck to yours and you didn't tell me anything! I could have checked to see if I was in any of his classes!"

"Oh my god Hoshiko, don't tell me you think he's some hot guy or something, like half the school does." She rolled her eyes. "I honestly don't see what's so great about him. He's so arrogant. He acted like I was his maid or something when I gave him his program."

"Ah but you saw him you lucky girl!"

"Am I supposed to be fanning myself with delight now? 'Yay! I saw Yamato Ishida!'" Mimi asked dryly. "Really, Hoshiko. Find someone better worth your time and love. I can tell he's a complete asshole just by the way he acted today."

"You don't even know him!"

"And neither do you," Mimi shot back. "Besides," she began in a kinder tone, "we don't need to fan his ego anymore. All this attention's only going to further explode his already over-inflated head."

Hoshiko laughed. "Alright Mimi. I trust your judgment because you tend to be a good judge of character. But you've got to agree with me when I say he's the hottest guy in this school."

"Maybe yes, maybe no. With an attitude like that though, he might as well be a gorilla for all I care."

The other girl pouted. "Ah you're hopeless."

"No, just sincere," Mimi laughed as she took out her lotion.

"Wow, you know it's so quiet in here. Normally, we're all so loud." Looking up, Hoshiko then realized the rest of the class was gone. "Oh my god! Everyone else already went to the auditorium for the junior orientation!"

"Let's go then," Mimi said, dumping the bottle back into her bag. "I'm surprised no one told us anything!" They ran off.

* * *

_"Oh no, she's just another one of those non-canon writers who writes those stupid light fics. Death to her!"  
"Do some research, whine bitch whine."  
"Mimato sucks, insert other pairing all the way, etc!"_

If you're in said categories above, don't bother with the review. Thanks, or not. And for those who will continue to perhaps even flame or continue "reviewing," good for you. I'm just going to ignore it from now on.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Digimon is Toei's.

Author's Notes: I know I made home ec sound like some really stupid girly-girl class. Sorry if I offended any of you over this, but I made the class this way to fit in with the story. The characters are probably OOC but I'll try not to make them overly OOC as the story goes along. Alternate universe, the characters never went to the Digiworld and Mimi never met Yamato. The school system is based somewhat on the US's as I find it more compatible, and if you have issues, there's a nice X on the top right. Later on, there'll be more flashback chapters to explain how the story came to the point it's at.

Summary: Yamato's in his senior year of high school. What is he doing in the junior class filled mainly with girls, home economics?

* * *

**MANNERS MANNERS  
—Chapter Two—**  
_by Ascendo Tuum_

She flipped shut her bright pink notepad after having copied down all her physics homework, and with a smile on her face, tucked it into the pocket of her white leather satchel. Class was going to be over in a few minutes, and Mr. Hiro acknowledged that fact by ending class early and reminding the students to take down the homework on the sideboard. Mimi capped her pen, placing it into one of several loops on her bag, and crossed her legs as she examined her chunky black loafers. They were part of her uniform, which consisted of a pleated olive green skirt that was supposed to touch at the knee and a crisp white blouse with the school insignia on the pocket.

Mimi eyed the end of the green collar around her neck and frowned. She didn't like olive green, thinking it too regulation, like orange. Why couldn't Odaiba High choose gray uniforms instead? They were much nicer looking, and easier to accessorize when she could get away with it. She grinned at the thought, recalling the nasty look she had received from a matronly secretary when she entered the building, her skirt a full four inches higher than it should be. It was only the first day luckily, otherwise she'd probably have gotten a verbal reprimanding and possibly even a detention. However, her teachers didn't see the first day as a day for the students to coast through, getting oriented to teachers' syllabi and grading policies. Half her teachers had assigned reading homework, and the other half even began teaching.

The bell rang, and Mimi breathed a sigh of relief. Only forty five more minutes of school, and then she was free, if only for thirty minutes before she had to go to prep school. She knew her parents meant the best for her, but to have school for nine straight hours a day really got her dizzy sometimes. At least Hoshiko went to the same cram academy as she did. Mimi didn't know how she'd be able to endure it all without her chatty friend.

Grabbing her satchel, Mimi was practically the first one out the door as she walked quickly to her last class, home economics. She wanted to grab a pair of good seats in the back before anyone else could. The hallways were full but Mimi was able to slip through wherever possible, so that within a minute and ten seconds, she had reached her classroom in the other end of the building.

She strolled in and bowed respectfully to the teacher, a frail-looking old woman, who in return smiled at her. Going up the riser, Mimi selected two seats in the middle of the last row and plopped down in one, placing her satchel on the desk of the desk adjacent to hers. Within a minute or two, more girls began entering the room, and Mimi spotted the blonde head of her friend. Catching the girl's eye, she waved her over.

Hoshiko placed her tan messenger bag onto the desk as she sat down in the plastic seat. "Thanks Mi-chan," she said with a bright grin. "You wouldn't believe how boring history was!"

The late bell rang, and Mrs. Sato went over to close the door. Suddenly it swung open, nearly hitting the teacher in the face. The girls all simultaneously turned their heads to see who could be so unobservant and almost hit the teacher.

The culprit, a tall blonde male student did a double take as he stared back at thirty pairs' of eyes. He then noticed an elderly woman staring at him expectantly and he bowed, apologizing profusely.

"I'm so sorry, Sato-sensei, please forgive me," he babbled, feeling more and more like an idiot by the second. How great his life was, making him late for his first day of home economics, and making him almost hit his teacher with the door.

"Please close the door behind you," the woman spoke calmly, as she adjusted her sleeves. "And take a seat quickly, so I may begin."

Yamato groaned under his breath as he scanned the room. There were two seats left, one in the first row which he most definitely was not going to take, and one in the last row, next to some very familiar-looking girl with chestnut-brown hair. He scratched his neck, wondering why she seemed vaguely recognizable, and then it hit him like a truck. She was that girl who gave him his schedule on orientation day back in the summer! He winced, realizing he hadn't been particularly too grateful for her deed and wondered if he should stick with the front seat. But he didn't want to be so up close, among these girls who were already practically breathing down his back.

"Any time this century," one girl sang out and was instantly silenced with a look from Mrs. Sato.

Hastily, he went up the risers to take the seat next to the brunette and tried his best to look attentive. He hoped the girl sitting next to him wasn't vindictive, as he really didn't need to ruin his day any further.

"Welcome to home economics class. I will be your teacher, Sato-sensei. In this class, you will learn about consumerism. You will be taught how to make budgets, culinary skills, sewing skills, child development, and other domestic issues." She took a breath, sipping quietly from a glass of water. "Normally, this course is designated only for females, but we have an exception this year. Class, please welcome Yamato Ishida."

Yamato's cheeks burned a bright red, and he realized half the class was _laughing _at him over his "misfortune." Even the girl next to him was giggling her permed little head off. He bit back the urge to make some snappy comeback, recalling Sora's advice that morning about "behaving properly." "It's nice to meet all of you too," he said quickly.

"I would like to start off with an ice-breaker. Starting with the first row on the left, please stand up and introduce yourself. Mention your name, hobbies and goals. Please begin."

A red-haired girl stood up. "My name is Aya Haraguchi. I play the flute and my goal is to go to a prestigious university to make my family proud." She sat down.

"I'm Rinko Matsuda. I like to play tennis and volleyball. My goal is to join a team after college."

"I am Mitsuko Watanabe, my hobbies are cooking and gardening and my goal is to be top student of my year." The introductions went on and on.

Hoshiko stood up. "The name's Hoshiko, Hoshiko Yamada. I like to go shopping with my best friend and talk to friends. My goal is to um… have lots of clothes?" The class tittered, and the blushing blonde sat down hastily.

"My name is Mimi Tachikawa. I enjoy cooking, shopping and singing. My goal is to become a big star, a model or singer preferably."

Yamato stood up, and now the class grew deathly silent, all eyes once more upon him. "I'm Yamato Ishida. I like to play the guitar and my goal is to have a band."

"Why are you in this class?" A girl shot out curiously.

He grinned and said smoothly, "Only real men take home economics." With that he winked at her, and sat back down, his legs comfortably stretched out.

Mrs. Sato clapped once to get the class's attention before it broke out into titters. She then picked up some papers on her desk. "This course is not a particularly difficult one, given that you do the work asked of you. You will have tests every two to three weeks, depending on how much of the curriculum is covered. I do give pop quizzes occasionally, and two quiz grades equal a test. I give homework every few nights, it's not much usually. My tests and quizzes are not always going to be written ones, so do keep that in mind. When there are notes, please make sure to take them down. If you do not pay attention, you will receive detention. I also do not appreciate tardiness," she said, eying Yamato. "Please take this time to take down the phone numbers of a few students in this class so that if you are ever absent, you will be able to call for homework assignments."

Yamato groaned silently as a barrage of heads turned to face him, all eyes asking the same question, "Can I have your number?" He wanted to sink under his chair and not come out till the end of the period, but fortunately Mrs. Sato saved him.

"Class, what did I say? Please ask your neighbors for their numbers. Do not ask for Ishida-san's when he is obviously not your neighbor. Now please do this in an orderly fashion."

The girls meekly obeyed, turning to one another as they wrote down their digits in each other's planners. Yamato contemplated asking Mimi for her number, but decided against it. He had no intention of cutting, therefore he didn't need anyone's number.

Mimi was whispering something to Hoshiko, who was giggling madly. Yamato was amazed that Mrs. Sato seemed to not hear her irritatingly loud laughing, yet could detect his silent grumbling. "She must be sexist," he mumbled to himself and yet again she gave him a look. He wanted to stand up and protest this gross injustice, but recalled once more Sora's advice. Plastering a fake grin on his face, he looked up and was rewarded with a small smile from Mrs. Sato.

"Have you each gotten at least two numbers? Good. I do not believe in forcing material into your minds on the first day of school, so please chat quietly. Tomorrow we will begin our course, starting with budget planning. Bringing a calculator will help, although it is not necessary." With that, the teacher sat down in her chair and began writing in names in her slender pale blue grade book.

"So, did you pack lunch for juku later?" Hoshiko asked, putting things away into her bag. "I only have sugiyaki."

Mimi nodded. "My mom packed me salad and some tuna maki rolls. I wanted to go see the new shoes at the mall, but oh well. This weekend perhaps?"

"Sure thing," the other girl said. "Ugh, I really do hope all this extra prep is worth it. We're only eleventh graders, we shouldn't have to go to juku so early! I don't see why my parents couldn't let me go next autumn, when I need it then. I could be buying pretty new things now!"

Yamato rolled his eyes. This Hoshiko girl was such a whiner.

"Aw Hoshi-chan, I'm sure after you get into Tokyo University, you'll show more gratitude. Sure it may seem pointless and a waste of time right now, but later on you'll thank your parents. Besides, we do spend a bit too much money each month on unnecessary purchases," Mimi laughed as she played with her satchel's buckles.

Hoshiko rolled her eyes. "Oh you're such a loser Mimi. We're like dedicating half our day to school, a girl needs to rest!"

"And your idea of rest is shopping?" Yamato interjected sarcastically.

The blonde girl glared at him. "Excuse me? Did I just hear a big bag of wind whistling by, or did someone actually interrupt my conversation?"

"You flatter yourself," he retorted.

Enraged, she made efforts to strangle him, but Mimi blocked her path. "Hoshiko, he's not worth detention. Let it go."

"Ugh, I hate people who just barge into other people's conversations. It's so rude!"

"I know, but unless you want to get in trouble, just disregard it," Mimi advised. "Come on, the bell will ring soon, you don't want to go to juku in a bad mood."

"Yeah you're right. Gosh Mimi, I don't know what I'd do without you. You're so mature!"

Mimi rolled her eyes. "Thanks a lot, you make me feel old. My parents told me to stop being so childish if I wanted a car, so here I am hehe."

"Oh you're lucky!"

"I honestly don't know if I really want one though. Having a car is a hassle because it's so hard to find a parking spot and other drivers can be sooo rude! Like once my father was driving my mother and I to a mall and this person just cut my father off! What was his problem? I wanted to get out and tell him off!"

Hoshiko nodded. "Yeah the train's more convenient. And we're helping the Earth by not adding more toxic fumes."

"Yup."

Yamato snorted derisively and Mimi arched an eyebrow at him. Hoshiko was not so discrete. "Ass," she said, glaring at Yamato, who merely shrugged in response.

The bell finally rang, and as the girls surged out in one mass wave, Yamato found himself thinking.

* * *

Writer's block, this chapter could've used more work. There will most definitely be a re-write sometime soon. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Digimon is Toei's.

Author's Notes: I believe the current exchange rate is roughly: one dollar for every hundred yen. I haven't been to Japan in years so I can't quite recall the normal range of prices but I'll make a guess. Oh and I suck with making notes so we'll just assume our dear characters are diligent people who take down everything. :P

Sigh, who knew that stories planned in your head so perfectly could be so hard to transfer onto something more permanent. I keep on getting ideas for these stories, and I end up writing them and then leaving them to die barely finished. Therefore I'm terribly sorry if the writing is choppy and unclear. It's getting harder for me to wonder how to end chapters.

Post Upload: Ok so FFN does not like tables nor tabs. Sorry for the mushed up list below. Also thank you to Uin for the pointers on culture. Question, would it be alright to refer to teachers by Mr. Surname throughout the story and in dialogue have them be Surname-sensei? I've edited the story so it doesn't sound so weird (writing those -chans really got to me after awhile) but I've left the doors heh.

Summary: Yamato's in his senior year of high school. What is he doing in the junior girls-only class, home economics?

* * *

**MANNERS MANNERS  
—Chapter Three—**  
_by Ascendo Tuum_

Yamato took his seat, pulling out a notebook and calculator. The girls in his class still tittered over his presence, but he got used to it. He eyed the girl sitting two seats away to his left, the whiny girl, Hoshiko. She was absorbed in her doodling, her brilliant silver pen attracting light as it moved in curlicues on a blank page. He rolled his eyes, contemplating whether or not to make some comment, but decided against it.

"Ahh Hoshiko, your shoes are so cute!"

He winced at the volume of the squeal, and looked up to see its source. It was none other than Mimi, who was now fawning over her best friend's rather unremarkable looking shoes. They were cute shoes? He begged to differ. They looked like a pair of normal brown loafers. He leaned over, about to say something when Mimi plopped her bag onto her desk, effectively obscuring his furtive view.

"I love your skirt Mimi!"

Yamato couldn't take it anymore. These two girls were talking about absolutely normal, mundane things when there was nothing remotely extraordinary about a pair of shoes or a school skirt. "What's so special about her uniform that makes her so different from all the hundreds of other girls?" He asked dryly, really wanting to know what he wasn't seeing.

Mimi glared at him, hands on her hips in outrage, not liking his interruption. "No one asked your opinion."

"I'm curious, I really am."

"Good for you, but you don't need to know." Mimi flared as she took her seat and smoothed invisible wrinkles. She was nice, but when people pushed her buttons… Ugh. She hated people who tried to act clueless and were in fact, mocking her. She never enjoyed being treated like some airhead who cared only about the latest fashions. She had a heart, she had a mind, she didn't go to school for years for nothing. There was more to Mimi Tachikawa than met the eye, and woe to the person who dared think otherwise.

"Would you mind telling me what is so special about her shoes and your skirt?"

"Nothing," Hoshiko interjected. "You're just not seeing things."

"Okay then please, enlighten me, what are you seeing?"

Hoshiko rolled her eyes and as the bell rung, she pulled Mimi's chair over closer to hers. "None of your business, you nosy jerk."

"How am I being nosy? I just want to know!" Yamato responded, astounded at her sense of logic.

"Whatever."

Yamato sighed. These girls were so darn confusing! But before he could say something else, Mrs. Sato began roll call. He didn't want to risk a reprimand or even detention for disrupting the class, so he kept his mouth zipped.

"Good afternoon. Today we will be learning about budgets, and how to manage them. Ideally you will want a balanced budget where you will have little or no impulse buys. In case you have not noticed, there are notes on the board. Please take them down and then we will take out calculators for those of you who have them."

He took out a pen and began jotting down the notes, amazed at the copiousness of it all. He didn't think budget lessons required such copious notes, but apparently they did.

_Budgets_

_In order to keep your spending in check, a good way to track your expenses is to make daily budgets and list things you've bought. Though this may seem a time-consuming and unnecessary task, it is an important and helpful way to understand where your money comes and goes. Because most of you do not have jobs, we will assume that your parents are the breadwinners and therefore pay living expenses such as rent and groceries and utilities such as electricity and water. Consequently, your budgets will be much more simplified. List items or services you have purchased each day with weekly budgets._

_Take a look at this sample daily budget:_

_**day item/service money spent**  
**Sunday** Udon__ noodles 650¥  
Newspaper 100¥  
Manicure 3350¥  
**Monday ** Water 110¥  
Book 1250¥  
Rice balls 365¥  
Earrings 1700¥_

Yamato's eyes began to unfocus themselves from the endless rows of notes. Once again he asked himself why he was in home economics, when he clearly knew how to balance a budget. He never went on a shopping spree—he likened it to binging—and was for the most part thrifty with his money.

He snorted quietly to himself. He'd bet his guitar that Hoshiko and Mimi were compulsive shoppers, snapping up every shiny thing in their sight, just like practically every other teenaged girl in Japan. Sometimes when he took a walk downtown, he couldn't help but overhear other girls' conversations. Of course, given most of their unnaturally high voices, they weren't that hard to eavesdrop on.

_"Oh my, that is the most adorable bag I have ever seen! It's much better looking than this trash I carry around."_

_"Those earrings are to die for! And I only have like twenty pairs!"_

_"insert name here-chan, you have got to buy that ribbon! It's only 2850¥!"_

_"Do you really think this looks good on me? Like I already have another one at home… but if it looks good, I'll get it!"_

_"Oh c'mon, you can never have enough shoes!"_

Yep, life was filled with clueless girls who probably couldn't make it on their own if you threw them into the woods with nothing more than a lighter and a pocket knife. No wonder home economics was a girls-only class. Guys knew enough about life and money to survive on their own—at least in his experiences, such a statement was justifiable.

Yamato eyed the girl to his left, Mimi. Her hair was currently in two loose pigtails, the wavy brown strands framing her heart-shaped face. She was hunched slightly at her desk, taking down notes quickly yet neatly, her bright eyes looking up every now and then. The pink pen sloped back and forth across the pink-tinted paper, and her manicure shone under the artificial classroom light.

He shook his head. Manicure shining? Since when was he paying attention to trivial details like that? Surreptitiously, he pinched himself and winced at the resulting ache. Okay, he was not daydreaming that was for sure. Maybe it was just the toxic fumes coming off the girl, despite her hostility towards him.

Toxic fumes, what was he saying? Fine, he liked the perfume's scent. It wasn't too heady or strong, but rather light and girlish yet sophisticated without going overboard at the same time. That was all he was willing to admit. Push him even more and he'd adamantly deny a single feeling for her.

Wait a minute.

How the heck did he go from manicures shining to toxic fumes to feelings for a girl he barely knew?

"Sitting in a room full of girls is not good for me," he muttered to himself, grateful for Mrs. Sato's walking around taking looks at sample budgets.

Meanwhile Mimi had just finished taking down the notes. Hoshiko was still busy writing, being the prissy person she was when it came to writing, every i had to be dotted perfectly. Checking her watch, she noted that there was still half the period. Budgets were a boring topic. Mimi wanted to move onto more interesting things, like cooking or sewing. Heck, anything remotely interactive that involved more than just banging in numbers on a calculator would be fun.

Additionally, she had heard rumors about a most interesting final project. For some reason, every graduating senior girl refused to divulge to their younger counterparts what exactly it was, invoking some sort of pact made with their beloved Mrs. Sato. No girl had ever graduated Odaiba High with bad feelings towards Mrs. Sato, as it was extremely difficult and unheard of to hate such a sweet and kind teacher. And so, Mimi would have to wait the months out until Mrs. Sato would come around to telling her class about this final project that somehow incorporated just about every topic that had been touched upon in class and would last several weeks.

Having capped her pen, Mimi set it back down onto her desk and stretched her stockinged feet. She rotated them in lazy circles, to get the blood circulating. She was bored and she didn't want to get caught passing notes or whispering. It wasn't Mrs. Sato's fault, it wasn't the way she taught her class, it was just Mimi's ridiculously quick writing speed.

Furtively, she eyed the mysterious student sitting to her right. She was still shell-shocked to the fact that he wasn't kidding when he said he was programmed for home economics. Sure, schedules weren't always perfect, but this was a blatant error on behalf of some administrator. Who knew, maybe there was a higher purpose for him being in the class.

She had to admit, he was cute. While he wasn't built like some of the jocks, he still had a very nice body from what she could tell. She would die to have hair as blonde and brilliant as his, though she liked her own tresses more. He also had this cool smirk, which he reserved for his friends, something she had observed in hallways when walking pass

Mentally, Mimi smacked herself upside the head. She must have put on a whee bit too much perfume. Shaking her head slightly so as to not attract attention, she looked up towards the sideboard and was happy to see that after budgets, the class would go onto diets. There was nothing like baking to end a hard school day. Besides, the sight of Yamato in a frilly apron was further incentive to enjoy home economics. Oh yes, little Yamato in a baby pink apron and oven mitts…


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Digimon is Toei's.

Author's notes: Sorry for the delay and the unremarkable chapter! College apps and the related are driving me insane!

Summary: Yamato's in his senior year of high school. What is he doing in the junior girls-only class, home economics?

* * *

**MANNERS MANNERS  
—Chapter Four—**_  
_

"Hi Yamato!" Mimi said cheerfully as he walked up the risers towards his seat.

He raised an eyebrow at her as he sat down. "Uh, hi?" 'Wonder what's got her so awfully perky this afternoon?'

"I like your necklace. Where'd you get it from?" She asked, smiling at him with her white white teeth, which made him think of a shark waiting to close its jaws around an unsuspecting seal.

"Uh birthday present."

"Cool! Was your birthday recently?"

"Uh no."

"So when's your birthday?"

"Do I need to tell you?" Yamato asked suspiciously. 'What the hell's she up to? Is she and her blonde sidekick planning something...'

"No but—"

"Then I'm not telling you." He stared at her. "God, what have you and blondie been smoking lately?"

Mimi's facial expression finally changed and a tic appeared at her forehead. "She has a name you know—"

"BLONDIE?" Hoshiko nearly shrieked, butting in. "Look at you, you insufferable prick! You're just as blonde as me!"

"Not personality wise," he shot back. "Last time I checked, my head wasn't filled with air."

"Are you calling me an airhead?" the other girl demanded. "Mimi, did you hear that? He called me an airhead!"

"She's right next to you, you don't need to yell, I'd like to keep my hearing for as long as possible," Yamato said blithely and ducked as Hoshiko threw a pen at him. "Hey, hey, stop throwing things! Jeez, how old are you, four?"

"Are you saying I'm immature?" Mimi screeched, her eyes alit with fire. The nerve of him! Here she was, trying to be nice to him, and this was how he repaid her? By suggesting she was a toddler with a penchant for throwing items? What a jerk!

"Good gods, I wasn't even talking to you!"

"What an insensitive prick you are!" Mimi snapped and then moved away from him. "Let's igore him. He's so stupid we'd become stupid too, sitting so close to him."

Yamato rolled his eyes. Girls. This was exactly why he didn't have a girlfriend and wasn't looking for one either. They were all whiny brats that mangled anything and everything, from language to a man's sleeve due to constant tugging and needling for new clothes. "That doesn't even make sense," he said. "Stupidity isn't contagious, first of all."

Hoshiko rolled her eyes. "Well your ego is."

"Holy... do you even know what you're saying?" Yamato asked in disbelief. "Seriously, listen to what's coming out of your mouth. Ego, for chrissakes... wow I can't believe this is the future generation... dumb as a brick and—" He would've gone on when he noticed Mimi growing considerably redder and wisely, shut his mouth.

"Future generation... dumb as a brick?" Mimi nearly screeched. "We're only a year younger than you, and we are NOT dumb as bricks! In fact, we happen to be on the dean's list, and we're in the top ten percent of our grade, so you better watch what you're saying! In fact, I think you're the one here who's dumb as a brick!"

He groaned. Why oh why did he have to sit next to two whiny girls who spouted nonsense from their lipstick-slathered mouths? "I quit."

"Good, because you wouldn't have had a chance otherwise," Hoshiko smirked.

"I don't need to drag myself down to the likes of you."

"Eat dirt, Yamato." She snapped.

"I agree. You need to be grounded, and what better way than eating dirt?" Mimi snipped and turned away.

'Someone remind me why I'm here again,' Yamato thought exhaustedly. 'Did I do something so wrong that this is my punishment?'

---------------------------------------------

Everyday was the same routine, or at least similar. Yamato, on his way to his seat, would exchange insults with Mimi and Hoshiko. The girl he once thought was nice, mature and heck, even a little sweet, turned out to be some vicious shrew who sank her claws into the closest poor fellow possible. Hoshiko, who he already thought was some typical ditz, only further cemented his belief that the next generation was totally screwed and wholly responsible for its own damnation. Although perhaps, generation was too much of a leap.

He sighed as Mrs. Sato returned the tests from the meal unit, and frowned at the 76 he received and the written reprimand from the teacher. Glancing over surreptitiously towards his hellish neighbors' desks, his jaw dropped when he noticed 100 on both Mimi's and Hoshiko's exams. How in the world... But of course. There could be only one explanation as to how and why. "Cheaters," he muttered under his breath.

And lo and behold, the two girls did not fail to disappoint. "Excuse me?" They said simultaneously as they whirled about to face him, each with the same horrified look and the slowed blinking of eyes. "What did you just say?" Same shrill voice, same flushed face, same clenched fists, same narrowed eyes.

'Yep, two peas in a pod alright,' he thought. "Nothing."

"You said something," Mimi accused.

"Actually I said 'nothing'," he grinned.

"Psh. We don't hear things!" Hoshiko said vehemently. "Did you call us.. _cheaters_?"

Yamato shrugged carelessly. Did they take everything coming out of his mouth so seriously? "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. What's it to you?"

"You insulted us," the brunette pointed out, as if she was speaking to a young child. "You called us cheaters. Just because you did poorly on your test and we aced it doesn't mean we're cheaters. We studied our butts off, okay."

Hoshiko nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're just stupid, you know?" Seeing the look on his face, she continued cheerfully. "It's okay though. Not everyone can be smart, and you gotta balance the world with stupid people. Guess you're one of them, but don't feel too bad, I'm sure there's millions others just like you!"

Yamato could only bury his head in his hands, as the two girls burst into a fit of giggles and high-fived one another. 'Why me, why me?' He still wondered how the teacher could possibly not hear the girls' unbelievably loud laughter, and yet hear even the lowest of disgruntled comments that he made. Whatever. It didn't make a difference. So long as he passed the class, he was good to go.

That was what he kept on telling himself, everytime he got back something graded. He didn't understand why he was receiving mediocre marks, though he figured effort played a big role. He compared the two girls' homeworks to his, and shook his head. When it came to quality and quantity, the woman chose quantity. He wouldn't be surprised if Mimi's and Hoshiko's homeworks were drawn-out pieces of utter bullshit, and obviously Mrs. Sato lapped it all up, with comments like "Excellent work!" and "Wonderful ideas!" His, on the other hand, were short and to the point, earning remarks such as "Support your reasons" and "Did you do this last period?"

"Whatever," he muttered, as he shoved into his bag yet another C+ quiz. Hoshiko glanced over her shoulder and once again burst into a wave of titters. He glared irritably at her, and was rewarded with a casual wave of the hand. "Nosy brat," he bit out under his breath, loud enough so that she could hear.

Mimi slapped her pen down on the table. "What is your problem Ishida!" Yamato's head snapped up, and he was utterly shocked. Was she going to do what he thought she was going to do?

Mrs. Sato looked up. "What seems to be the matter Tachikawa?"

"Sato-sensei, Ishida is making foul comments about Yamada and I. Time and time again we have asked him to please refrain from making such crude comments and to keep them to himself, but he ignores us and continues to insult us." He stared at her, horrified and infuriated. She sat there primly, her hands clasped loosely together, the spitting image of perfection and goodness. No doubt she was playing up her little act. He couldn't help but grit his teeth and let loose a growl under his breath. This girl really did have issues.

The elderly woman strode over, her brown eyes gleaming with ferocity as they bore into his blue-green eyes. Yamato had to swallow down a lump in his throat. Mrs. Sato had the distinction of being the only woman ever who could stare down Yamato Ishida.

"Ishida, I do not understand you. You sit there, daydreaming all along, turn in awful homework, do poorly on the examinations, and now you insult these two young women?" She clucked her tongue. "See me after class." With that she returned to the front of the room, keeping a wary eye on the senior.

He could only groan as he put his head down on the desk.


End file.
